Overview

• Councilor Ed Flynn proposed amending an April ordinance to prohibit third‑party food deliveries by mopeds, scooters and e‑bikes, citing a pedestrian safety crisis and limited city enforcement capacity.
• The measure drew sharp opposition from councilors Henry Santana, Enrique Pepén, Sharon Durkan and Julia Mejia, won support only from Erin Murphy, and was referred to the Committee on Government Operations with no vote.
• The existing ordinance requires platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub to obtain Boston operating permits and provide liability insurance for workers, with implementation noted for January.
• Opponents urged alternatives such as registering vehicles with the state, stepping up police enforcement, imposing a 15‑cent per‑order fee to fund oversight, and increasing accountability for delivery platforms.
• DoorDash warned a ban would cut roughly one‑third of Boston deliveries and hurt earnings for thousands of workers while pushing more trips into cars, as residents continue filing thousands of 311 complaints about dangerous riding.